1995 Volume 86 Issue 8 Pages 1346-1352
A total of 29 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma entered a pilot study of combination therapy with interferon α(IFN-α) and interferon γ(IFN-γ). IFN-α (HLBI: 3×106 IU, BALL 1: 5×106 IU, IFN-α-2a: 9×106 IU or IFN-α-2b: 6×106 IU) was given intramuscularly every day and IFN-γ (IFN-γ-1a: 3×106 JRU) was given intravenously by drip infusion 3 times a week (every 2-3 days). The treatment was continued for 3 months as the induction therapy, and then the tumor response was evaluated. Of the 22 evaluable patients, 4 achieved a partial response (PR), 10 showed no change (NC), and in 8 the disease had progressed (PD) during the therapy. Thus, the overall response rate was 18.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-34.3%]. A favorable response tended to be obtained in patients with good performance status or small pulmonary metastases, or in those who had no prior therapy with IFN-α, who received this treatment immediately subsequent to radical nephrectomy, or who received IFN-γ as much as possible according to this regimen. Toxicity was evaluated in 28 patients: fever, general fatigue, anorexia, leukocytopenia and impaired liver function were frequently noted, and 3 patients were withdrawn from the study because of such adverse effects. In patients who had a PR or NC, the same dosage of IFN-α was continued to be given intramuscularly 2-3 times a week (every 2-4 days) as the maintenance therapy. At present, the median duration of response (PR) is 37 weeks (range: 12-138+ weeks) and the median survival period for the 22 patients is 67 weeks (range: 6-164+ weeks), with 13 cancer deaths. In concluding, we cannot say that this regimen is more effective than IFN-α alone in the present circumstances, but may be more effective provided that both IFN-α and γ can be administered exactly according to this regimen by improving measures against their toxicities.
